As a kid, I was heavily influenced by Michael Shamberg’s Guerrilla television ideas. Those early influences convinced me that a free state can only exist with a citizen-enabled media. Most of what Shamberg wanted has happened, thanks to the Internet and mobile devices.
Yet, “TV” (as in the relatively high production value television we all continue to consume) has remained stubbornly out of reach of the citizen media. Locally produced, cable system funded programming remains the best way for citizens to produce media that has the flavor of “big time TV.” Combine higher production values and more compelling content than is typically associated with amateur Internet video plus cable, mobile and Internet distribution and it is possible to achieve many of the aims of a citizen media.
I know this might seem all late-1960’s, hippie, power-to-the-people to you. But the power of big media hasn’t diminished since the 1970s, has it? And control has consolidated, no? (Think Comcast.) And local programming is relegated to local broadcast TV producers’ vapid “Let’s do a morning show from nearby ZIP codes” ideas.
To put put purpose into action, I’ve been volunteering my time on the board of a new nonprofit in Southborough that is gearing up to produce public access programming. Today, we announced that we have appointed a talented executive director to help bring my ancient, mildly socialist ideas to fruition. 🙂 The press release is below.
[gview file=”https://yobyot.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Southborough-Access-Media-appoints-an-Executive-Director-2014-01-21.pdf” save=”1″]
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